Job Shadowing Student Information

Offered during spring and summer, our Job Shadowing Externship Program allows you to learn more about professions, receive career-related advice, and reflect on the ways in which your liberal arts education can prepare you for life after Davidson. Davidson alumni, parents, and friends of the college from diverse industries sign up to host students for one or two days in cities all over the country.

Students from all class years and majors may apply for and be matched with up to two shadowing experiences.

Program Timeline

March 2 - 14

Students must attend one of three information sessions in order to gain access to apply to opportunities in Handshake. See dates and locations below.

March 6

Students with access may log on to Handshake to view and apply for shadowing opportunities

Lock-in Date - Students may not cancel after this date or four weeks before their scheduled shadowing date, whichever is later. Please see below for more information

April 1 - Aug. 18

Shadowing takes place for one to two days over the spring and summer at the host's workplace

Application Process

Students interested in job shadowing will go through several stages to ensure the best matches possible between applicants and hosts.

Phase 1 - Required Information Session

As a potential applicant you will be required to attend an information session prior to applying to learn about the program and application process. We will offer three sessions for the program, once before the applications open and twice throughout the application period. If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, please contact Sarah Williams '11 at skwilliams@davidson.edu. If you attended an information session last spring for the 2016 program, you are not required to attend again.

Dates and Locations:

March 2 at 11:05 a.m., Alvarez 313

March 13 at 4:30 p.m., Alvarez 209

March 14 at 11:05 a.m, Sprinkle Room

Phase 2 - Application Submission

You must apply through Handshake and by submitting the below form. The 2017 deadline is Sunday, March 19 at 11:59 p.m.

Complete Part 1 of the application online by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. You only need to submit this form once.

Download and complete the Job Shadowing Application Part 2 (DOC) for each shadowing opportunity you are interested in. It should be customized for each opportunity.

Find the individual job shadowing posting in Handshake for the opportunities you plan to pursue. Go to the "Jobs" tab and select "Experiential Learning" under "Job Type" to see the complete list. The "Employer" will be "Davidson College" for all positions.

Submit your resume and "Part 2" of the application for each opportunity by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. Remember, you can apply to up to two opportunities. Please note that if you apply to and get matched with more than one shadowing experience, you will be expected to complete both.

Phase 3 - Selection Process

On March 20, all hosts will receive a packet of applications from students interested in their shadowing experience. If only one student applies for a particular experience and the host accepts that student, the student will be notified and put in contact with the host to schedule a specific shadowing date. If more than one student applies for an experience, the host will determine how many and which students he or she is willing to take.

Phase 4 - Matching and Scheduling

On March 29, hosts and students will be notified of their match. It will be the student's responsibility to contact the host and set up a date to shadow.

Expectations of Participating Students

You are responsible for initiating contact with your host once selected, as well as traveling to and from the job shadowing site, locating and paying for any necessary lodging, researching the organization in advance of the shadowing day, and coming prepared with questions. Learn more about the host and student responsibilities (PDF).

Lock-In Date & Cancellation Policy

Once you are matched with a host, you may not cancel after April 27 or four weeks before your scheduled shadowing date, whichever is later. Hosts put a lot of effort into organizing a day for you, and it is expected that you will follow through and complete each shadowing opportunity you apply to and are matched with. If you do not adhere to these guidelines and expectations, you will not be allowed to participate in the job shadowing program in the future and your Handshake account will be blocked. To remove the block, you will be required to meet with Sarah Williams, assistant director for alumni & parent engagement, and write a letter of apology to the host.

Expense Reimbursement

To help you participate in the Job Shadowing Program, the Center for Career Development has funds available to help offset travel and accommodation expenses. You should apply for funding through this program Monday, March 20 - Monday, March 27, after you have been selected for shadowing.

Housing through Alumni & Parent Homestays:

If you are participating in a shadowing opportunity that requires an overnight stay, you can request to be connected with alumni and parents who have volunteered to offer short-term homestays. If you are interested in this option, review the guidelines and expectations and email your request to Sarah Williams at skwilliams@davidson.edu.